Bottle-labeling machine.



No. 636,967. Patented Nov. 14, I899. E. ERMDLD.

BOTTLE LABE LINGMACHINE. (Application fild June 19, 1899.

(No Model.)

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No. 636,967. Patented m. l4, I899. E. ERMOLD.

"BUTTLE LABELING MACHINE.

( Application filed June 19, 1899.)

(No midal.

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No. 636367. Patented Nov. l4, I899.

E. ERMOLD.

BOTTLE LABELING MAH|NE.

(Application filed June 19, 1899.) (No Model.) 3 Shets-Sheet a.

. WITNESSES THE yoams PETERS co, PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTON, o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD ERMOLD, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BOTTLE-LABELING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 636,967, dated November 14, 1899.

Application filed June 19, 1899. I Serial No. 721,166. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD ERMOLD, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, in the borough of Manhattan and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Labeling Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the picker mechanisms of bottle-labeling machines, and more especially to the picker mechanism shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 632,519, granted to me September 5, 1899, so that in place of the stationary pickers a positive lateral motion is imparted to the pickers, whereby the more reliable and efiective action of the same is obtained, especially when pasting on labels of smaller size than the diameter of the bottles.

The picker mechanism shown in the specification referred to is composed of laterallyyielding spring-cushioned guard-plates and stationary pickers below the same. quired a special set of pickers for each size of bottle to be labeled, which was found to be inconvenient in use, as the same set of pickcrs could not be used for different sizes of bottles and labels.

The object of this invention is to so improve the picker mechanism for bottle-labeling machines that the same set of pickers can be used for any size of bottle or label in connection with the laterally-yielding guard-plates; and for thispurpose the invention consists of a picker mechanism for bottle-labeling machines which comprises laterally-lnovable and spring-actuated guard-plates, laterally-shiftable pickers located below the same, the shanks of said pickers being guided in ways of the picker-frame, and means for returning the pickers into their normal position with each backward stroke of the picker-frame, so as to be ready for the next picking action of the same.

The invention consists, further, of a picker mechanism for bottle labeling machines which comprises laterally movable and spring-actuated guard-plates, laterally-shiftable pickers below the same, ways arranged in the picker-frame for guiding the shanks of said pickers, antifriction-rollers at the rear This reends of said shanks, and stationary cam-rails at opposite sides of the main frame of the labeling-machine for returning the pickers from their laterally-shifted position into normal position, as will be fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a portion of a labeling-machine with my improved picker mechanism, showing the guard-plates, laterally-shiftable pickers,spring-actuated wipers, and the plunger for forcing the bottle through between the guard-plates, pickers, and wipers. Fig. 2 is a similar front elevation of my improved picker mechanism, showing the parts in position for applying the label to the bottle. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section through the picker mechanism on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the picker mechanism; and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the same on line 5 5, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings,A represents the supporting-frame of my improved bottle-la beling machine.

a a are stationary guide-rods, on which the reciprocating picker-carriage B is guided by suitable sleeves a.

D is a vertically-reciprocating plunger by which the bottle is moved in downward direction, so as to take up the label with its pasted edges.

At the sides of the picker-carriage B are arranged the laterally-movable and springactuated guard-plates C, and below the same the pickers P, which are likewise guided in lateral ways of the picker-carriage B. Below the pickers P are arranged the laterally-oscillating and spring-actuated wipers F, by which the label after being pasted at its opposite rear edges, is applied to the bottle when the same is forced through between the guard-plates and pickers. The parts referred shown.) The pickers P are arranged parallel with each other at the front part of the picker-carriage in such a manner that during the forward motion of the picker-carriage their faces come in contact with paste-supplying rollers, so as to take up the paste, and are then lowered, so as to pick up the uppermost label from a label-elevator. As soon as the label is taken up by the pickers the picker-carriage is raised again, and the pickers continue their forward motion until they arrive vertically in line with the plunger D and a stationary bottle-rest G, that is located below the wipers. The actuating mechanism of the verticall y-reci procatin g plunger, laterallyshiftable pickers, and oscillating wipers is so timed that as soon as the label is removed from the pickers by the downward motion of the plunger and transferred to the bottle by the wipers the picker-carriage begins its backward stroke, while during the forward stroke the pickers take up a new supply of paste and a new label to be applied to the next bottle to be labeled.

The guard-plates O are curved in downward direction, so that the bottle passes readily between the same, their shanks being guided in brackets B of the picker-carriage and cushioned by means of helical springs d, interposed between the guard-plates and stationary sockets d on the picker-carriage, as shown in Fig. 4c. The pickers P are guided by shanks e e in transverse ways at the lower part of the brackets 13 of the picker-carriage, the outer ends of said shanks being provided with antifriction-rollers 1', which are placed in contact with stationary cam-rails ff, that are arranged horizontally at each side of the supporting-frame A of the bottle-labeling machine. The cam-railsfare supported in position by means of clamping-screws f on slotted bracketsf of the supporting-frame A, said rails being made narrow at their front ends and the latter connected by inclines with the wider rear ends, as shown in Fig. 5. The pickers P are provided with horizontal faces at their under sides that take up the paste from the paste-rollers for transference tothe opposite rear edges of the label. The distance of the pickers from each other corresponds to the size of the label; but when the bottle is passed by the descending plunger through between the guard-plates, pickers, and wipers the pickers are moved laterally in their guideways by the bottle to a distance corresponding to the diameter of the bottle. The cam-rails f can be adjusted laterally on their supporting-brackets by means of slots being provided in the brackets for this purpose. The guard-plates O are so adjusted as to be closer together than the pickers P, their distance from each other being smaller than the diameter of the bottle, while the distance between the pickers corresponds to the size of the label, so that their gummed faces can freely take up the label and transfer the same to the bottle. lVhen the plunger forces the bottle in downward direction, it presses the guard-plates and pickers sidewise, so that the wipers can act on the ends of the label and apply the same to the bottle, as shown in Fig. 2. The distance of the guard-plates C from each other is adjusted according to the size of the bottle, while the position of the pickers is adjusted by the cam-rails according to the sizes of the label, the cam-rails being so adjusted that they'return the pickers during the backward stroke of the picker-carriage into their normal position toward each other ready to take up the next supply of paste and then pick up the next label. The shanks of the pickers slide freely in the transverse ways of the brackets B of the pickercarriage B, they being shifted sidewise by the bottle under the action of the descending plunger and returned again to their former position by the action of the cam-rails,no yielding orspring-actuated motion being required, as they are returned into normal position ready for the next labeling operation by the positive action of the stationary cam-rails on their shanks.

The operation of myimproved picker mechanism can be readily understood from the foregoing description. When the picker-carriage arrives at the end of its forward stroke, the bottle is placed in position below the plunger, the descending motion of which forces the bottle through between the guard-plates and pickers, so as to take up the pasted ends of the labels, which by the continued descending mo tion of the bottle are pressed on the same by the action of the elastic wiper. The spring-actuated guard-plates yield sufficiently during the downward motion of the bottle, likewise the pickers, so that the label is removed from the face of the pickers and transferred to the bottle by the wipers, said wipers imitating the action of the fingers of the hand in applying the label to the bottle. After the bottle has passed the wipers it is taken up by the stationary bottle-rest G below the same, the neck of the bottle being held during the downward motion by the attendant. The bottle is then removed and the next bottle placed below the plunger and carried downward again by the descending motion of the same when the picker-carriage arrives again at the end of its next forward stroke. During the ascending motion of the plunger the picker-carriage is moved in backward direction, during which motion the antifriction-rollers on the outer ends of the picker-shanks are moved along the cam-rails, so that the pickers are shifted and returned to their normal position in which to take up the next label and carry it forward for transference to the bottle. The laterallyshiftable pickers have the advantage that any size of labels, whether large or small, can be applied with equal facility to the bottle by the simple adjustment of the cam-rails away from or toward each other on their supportingbrackets, provided the pickers are at such a distance from each other that they take up the labels in a reliable and efiective manner and transfer them by the joint action of the descending plunger on the bottle and of the wipers on the label to the bottle to be labeled.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a bottle-labeling machine, the combi nation of a reciprocating picker-carriage, laterally-yielding and spring-actuated guardplates supported by said carriage, laterallyshiftable pickers below said guard-plates, and means whereby the backward motion of the picker-carriage causes said pickers to return to their normal positions, substantially as set forth.

2. In a bottle-labeling machine, the combination of a reciprocating picker-carriage, laterally-yielding and spring-actuated guardplates supported by said carriage, laterallyshiftable pickers below said guard-plates, means for laterally guiding said pickers in brackets of the carriage, and parallel camrails engaging the picker-shanks and returning the pickers into their normal position during the backward stroke of the picker-carria'ge, substantially as set forth.

3. In a bottle-labeling machine, the combination of a reciprocating picker-carriage, lat erally-yielding and spring-actuated guardplates supported at the front portion of the carriage, laterally shiftable pickers below said guard -plates, means for guiding the shanks of said pickers in brackets of the picker-carriage,parallel cam-rails at each side of the supporting-frame, and means for adjusting said cam-rails, said cam-rails serving to return the laterally-shiftable pickers into their normal position during the backward stroke of the picker-carriage, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in pres ence of two subscribing Witnesses.

EDWARD ERMOLD.

Witnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, M. H. WURTZEL. 

